Man accused of jerking dog on leash, kicking it

Updated
8:04 am EST, Monday, January 14, 2019

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (AP) — Police in New Hampshire have accused a man of repeatedly jerking a dog's leash on a walk and kicking the animal.

Police tell WMUR-TV the man allegedly was training the 3-year-old Australian Cattle Dog to help the animal adjust to traffic conditions. But cellphone video sent to police appears to show him lifting the dog off the ground by a neck leash, causing the animal to twist in the air. Another clip shows the dog being kicked in the ribs; a third shows the dog's leash jerked violently.

Police charged 36-year-old David Dantino, who isn't the dog's owner, with three counts of animal cruelty. He's scheduled to be arraigned on March 4. It wasn't immediately known if he had a lawyer and a phone number couldn't be found for him.